Anthology: Our Feelings
by Her Pretty Smile
Summary: —#6: Onesided IchiHime, Mentions of IchiRuki. She loves him, she's sure of that. She loves him for him, and she will do everything—anything—for him. But what she does painfully know is that she doesn't really understand him, and that's the flaw in her feelings. [Collection of short stories and drabbles; Mostly IchiღRuki and HitsuღHina]
1. ღ1: Stay—HitsuღHina

**Anthology: Our Feelings**

by Her Pretty Smile

* * *

**Synopsis:** #1: HitsuHina. "I—If I tell you not to go... will you stay?" Ice-green eyes widened for a full four seconds, then, slowly, their gaze averted towards the ground. "..."

**Warning:** The fic will have a 'complete' status since it consists of complete oneshots and drabbles and short stories and all. I will just post randomly or post more and more until forever. ;)

However, this will not exceed 200 oneshots/chapters.

Also, this oneshot is unbeta-ed; may contain errors or any of the sort.

As for the pairings, it will all vary. But these pairings will be dominant:

1. **IchiRuki** [Ichigo & Rukia]

2. **HitsuHina** [Hitsugaya & Hinamori]

These ones will show up occasionally:

1. **UlquiHime** [Ulquiorra & Orihime]

2. **IshiHime **[Uryuu & Orihime]

3. **GinRan** [Gin & Rangiku]

4. **RuRen angst** [Renji & Rukia]

5. **IchiHime angst **[Ichigo & Orihime]

6. **KaiRu **[Kaien & Rukia]

7. **ShiYori** [Shinji & Hiyori]

8. **UraYoru** [Kisuke & Yoruichi]

9. **KenHana** [Kenpachi & Unohana]

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach. Kubo Tite owns it.

**Genres:** Romance/Drama

* * *

**#1:** Stay

:-_HitsuHina_-:

* * *

RAINDROPS FELL MERCILESSLY ON Soul Society, bringing with it a dark, gloomy aura that was felt by many present in the area.

Especially two people who were unfortunate enough to be outside, their bodies dripping wet and their hairs matting against their skin uncomfortably.

However, these kinds of things were far from their minds right now.

"Hitsugaya-kun..." Hinamori took an apprehensive, hesitant step towards her childhood friend, her eyes imploring and dark with worry.

The latter had long since stopped in his tracks, yet not once did he turn around. However, his tight grip on the hilt of his katana did not lessen one bit, showing her a slight slip of vulnerability from his usual uncaring façade. He, like her, was also experiencing a rush of overwhelming emotions, but he was considerably good at hiding it than her. Where she was clouded with her emotions and felt a strong need to show them fearlessly, he tended to conceal his own, deeming it unnecessary and insignificant.

However, in times when the situation called for it, he never hesitated to show his emotions.

And now he was slowly crumbling because of them.

_Hitsugaya-kun... I never really know what you're thinking..._ She hesitated in her steps, squeezing her hands together and biting her lower lip. She was scared, she knew. Scared that she was going to lose someone, someone who was important to her and had a special place in her heart.

Years ago, she spent so many moments with the boy in front of her, so many that she couldn't keep count of how many times she had come over to his house, given him watermelons, slept over, and had conversations that bordered on a unique kind of friendship she had with Hitsugaya Toushirou.

Now, she felt scared. So scared that she was going to lose him if she didn't do something.

And she would do everything—_anything at all_—to make him stay.

_But..._

"Hitsugaya-kun..." she repeated in a considerably stronger voice than before, her gaze bravely and steadily resting on the back of his head. "Please don't go."

Silence lapsed between them after the words came out of her mouth. The rain, however, did not stop. Though it did lessen slightly, the drops splattering on the ground were louder than ever, the sound echoing in her ears.

There was another moment of painful silence before he finally spoke, his voice holding a low, resigned tone to it.

"Hinamori... Why are you here?"

She cast him an incredulous look despite knowing full well that he couldn't see it.

But she knew that he could sense it nevertheless.

"I came to stop you from leaving," she answered with an overwhelming emotion in her tone. "Hitsugaya-kun, don't you realize that you're being given a suicide mission? Don't you realize that you'd been given options because of that? _Why_ did you choose to go through with this? _Why_ are you choosing to risk your life for this?!" she burst out, frustrated tears pooling in her eyes.

His body stiffened as the realization dawned on him in an instant. "You... You were listening," he said, a hint of incredulity colouring his voice.

"I—It was an accident," she stammered. "I didn't mean to, but when I heard some words I never imagined I would hear, I couldn't help but listen more." Her voice cracked a little.

His head, very slowly, slightly inclined towards her, giving her a partial view of his downcast eyes. "I'm better suited for this mission, Hinamori," he told her quietly. "And I would gladly give my life for Soul Society if need be. I am a captain; we had trained and worked ourselves knowing the risks of getting this position."

"No!" she shouted. "Please, Hitsugaya-kun... _Don't go_!" she pleaded, the tears in her eyes falling in rivulets. "Don't leave me... _please_... You're... You're the only one left... One who's special to me... I—_I can't lose you after I'd lost Aizen-taichou_!"

At that, his eyes widened and his body went rigid in shock. "Hi—Hinamori..."

There was a long moment of silence between them before she spoke.

"Shirou-chan..." she whispered, sounding sad and the slightest bit resigned. "I—I've always seen you as someone really special to me. Because you were always there for me, protecting me. I—I can't tell you how much I'm grateful for that... So... I—I'll ask you this one last time... And no matter what your answer is... I'll—I'll respect it." She took a quick, deep breath before staring straight into his eyes. "This time... I—If I tell you not to go... will you stay?"

Ice-green eyes widened for a full four seconds, then, slowly, their gaze averted towards the ground. "..."

"Hitsugaya-kun—"

She was cut off when she saw a small smile tugging at his lips. "I've told you so many times, didn't I?" he admonished with the slightest of teasing. "Not _'Hitsugaya-kun'_, but _'Hitsugaya-_taichou_'_."

She stared at him, eyes wide and with a bit of wonder etched on her expression.

He took that moment to turn around fully, letting his features soften in front of her. "...Yeah, I would," he said softly.

She felt slightly confused at his last statement. "E—Eh...?"

"Yes, I would... Hinamori," he repeated patiently.

She blinked, and then the answer came to her in an instant.

She smiled, feeling overwhelmingly glad and relieved. "I—I'm glad... I'm so glad... Thank you... _Shirou-chan_."

He took a step closer to her, and suddenly the rain seemed to have let up. "Aa. I'll stay... _Momo_."

* * *

**END**

* * *

**A/N:** My very first HitsuHina and Bleach fanfic! :3 So, was it good? Were they OOC or something? Oh dear, I'm seriously nervous. Please, don't hesitate to tell me what you think. :)

**A/N (5/8/14):** REVISED! :) Because some of the dialogues seemed a little awkward... -.-


	2. ღ2: Someday, We'll Meet Again—IchiღRuki

**Anthology: Our Feelings**

by Her Pretty Smile

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**Synopsis:** #2: IchiRuki. Ichigo's thoughts in episode 342.

**Warning:** Unbeta-ed; may contain mistakes or any of the sort.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

**Genres:** Romance/Drama/Slight Angst

* * *

**#2:** Someday, We'll Meet Again

:-_IchiRuki_-:

* * *

ICHIGO KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING to him. He knows far too well.

When Rukia mentions him not using shunpo, he instantly finds a counter, not wanting to show weakness. Not in front of anyone, and especially not in front of her.

And then he sees her looking at the ice-skating rink with something in her eyes.

He decides that he will take her there tomorrow.

* * *

-;-

* * *

WHEN HE SPOTS HER with a solemn, almost sorrowful look on her face, he somehow knows what happened.

But he just greets her in the same normal, casual manner he always does, knowing that speaking up on the topic will not help his situation at all.

* * *

-;-

* * *

THE FOLLOWING DAY, HE takes her ice skating with his friends, and when she asks him why, he says that he'd noticed the way she was looking at the rink before.

She looks at him for a moment with somewhat startled eyes before laughing. He knows why this is so, but he just waves it off.

When they're in the rink, he takes her hand and guides her. Then, when he thinks she can do it by herself, he lets go.

He thinks it's amusing the way she tries to grab his hand when she thinks she's going to fall. And then, just as he'd expected, she holds her balance in seconds.

But then she stumbles and he immediately takes a hold of her hands.

She sighs this off, but he can tell that she enjoys ice skating far more than what she shows outwardly.

* * *

-;-

* * *

WHEN THE FIREWORKS OCCUR, he looks up at the night sky. He stares at the bright colours exploding in the darkness and inadvertently catches a glimpse of her face.

She's staring up at the fireworks with awe and wonder, and her smile suddenly looks a lot like it's shining a lot brighter than the different colours in the sky.

* * *

-;-

* * *

WHEN THEY WALK HOME together that night, she tells him that she had fun. Then they talk for a while before_ the_ beeping sound occurs.

He immediately breaks into a run, all the while asking her where the Hollow is.

But then when she calls his name, he stops, and he can see the hesitation in her eyes.

But in the end, she still lets him fight, and he's grateful for that.

* * *

-;-

* * *

AS EXPECTED, HE CAN'T fend off the Hollow, and when she saves him and takes him to the roof, he apologizes softly for getting in her way.

And then she surprises him by declaring that he isn't in her way and that she will always help him.

Because they're _nakama_.

With that, he smiles softly.

When she freezes the Hollow's legs just as he'd told her to, he does the final Getsuga Tenshou...

...and feels his reiatsu slowly disappearing.

The last thing he sees, however, is her worried face, and when he closes his eyes, he knows that he has no regrets.

* * *

-;-

* * *

WHEN HE WAKES UP, he realizes that he's been sleeping for a while now.

He then reveals to the people who are in his room that he knew that his powers are fading and tells her that he also knew that she was ordered to stop him from fighting.

Then he asks to go outside.

When he does, he feels odd. He can't sense any spirits anymore.

He turns to look at her, and he realizes that she's slowly fading from his sight.

She tells him with a melancholic face, "This is goodbye... Ichigo."

"Seems that way, isn't it?" he replies softly.

"What's this? Don't look so sad," she says teasingly with a mock-smug air, even going so far as to pat him on the stomach. "Even if you can no longer see me, I am still able to see you."

"What the hell? That's nothing to be happy about," he says, slightly annoyed. "And I don't look sad!"

Then their proximity is suddenly at about half an arm's length, and he looks away slightly while she, on the other hand, lowers her head.

"Give everybody my regards," he says quietly, trying to sound casual.

"I will." Her voice sounds quieter than his.

He turns his head towards her and looks at her with a soft, almost sad expression.

When she's about to almost fade away from his sight, she looks up, and he sees the vulnerable, sorrowful look on her face.

"Bye, Rukia..."

And she disappears.

Looking up at the sky, he allows a soft smile on his face.

"_Thank you_."

* * *

**A/N:** My very first shot at IchiRuki. Was it okay? It took a lot out of me to capture the whole scene, but I think this is the best I can do for now. :)


	3. ღ3: His Feelings—HitsuღHina

**Anthology: Our Feelings**

by Her Pretty Smile

* * *

**Synopsis:** #3: HitsuHina. They are lying on the grass like they often did years ago. She's sleeping peacefully beside him, their faces only about an inch apart. And as he watches her, he thinks about his feelings.

**Warning:** Unbeta-ed; may contain mistakes or any of the sort.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

**Genres:** Romance/Friendship

* * *

**#3:** His Feelings

:-_HitsuHina_-:

* * *

HE CLOSES HIS EYES, feeling the gentle brushing of the wind against his skin and keeps silent as her soft, melodious voice drifts through his ears, her somewhat lively chatter comforting him inside.

He listens subtly as she talks about her everyday routine, about how she manages the 5th Squad well even if she's only by herself. He listens and listens and gives occasional replies whenever the moment calls for it until her voice slowly trails off with the breeze.

At that, he opens his eyes and finds himself staring into her peaceful-looking face, her mouth parting as she breathes quietly. His eyes widen slightly as he realizes their proximity, but he eventually relaxes and lets a small smile curl his lips.

_How nostalgic..._ he thinks. _It seems like yesterday when we often lay here on the grass and just stare up at the sky while enjoying each other's company..._

But now, they aren't little kids anymore.

He knows what he feels about her. He isn't _that _dense. He knows that his feelings had long since stepped outside the boundaries of friendship and sibling-like bonds.

He knows that but doesn't act on it.

Because he doesn't want the possibility of their friendship breaking.

He had come close to losing her so many times.

He doesn't want to lose her again just because of him.

And so he just stares at her sleeping face, remembering vividly in his mind why he loves her so much.

It's because she's Hinamori Momo, his childhood friend. His thread of light when he comes close to the darkness. His precious person who he will give his all to protect.

She's pure and innocent and he wants to keep her that way.

Even after Aizen betrayed her, she's slowly picking up the pieces.

He knows that she's a strong person.

Which is why he doesn't worry about her anymore.

Because he knows that she can pick herself up easily.

A small, soft smile curls his lips. "Hmph. Never knew you're this dense, Hinamori..."

She responds with a quiet sigh in her slumber.

_The sky is getting dark_, he notices.

He turns back to her and watches her a little more.

_If only we can be this peaceful often..._

"Good night..." He slowly closes his eyes, the smile still on his face. "...Momo."

_I love you... idiot._

It isn't long before he eventually falls asleep.

* * *

**A/N:** So I'm on a roll with this anthology idea (I've already come up with concepts and outlines and summaries for 46 oneshots!) and I'm thinking of putting a KenHana drabble next. But do you guys think it's too soon for another pairing?


	4. ღ4: Only To You—KenღHana

**Anthology: Our Feelings**

by Her Pretty Smile

* * *

**Synopsis:** #4: KenHana. She started to fall, but then his hand instinctively shot out to catch her from behind. And he froze in place momentarily as he realized that he's feeling the emotion he had least expected to feel—_alarm_. Drabble-ish. [Manga Spoilers]

**Warning:** Unbeta-ed; may contain mistakes or any of the sort. Then, again, I will warn you about spoilers. Read at your own risk.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

**Genres:** Drama/slight Angst/slight Romance

* * *

**#4:** Only To You

:-_KenHana_-:

* * *

WHEN HE HEARD ABOUT it, he was excited—no, _thrilled_—at the thought of fighting the very first person who he had enjoyed fighting with. In fact, it had been a long time since they'd fought, and it had also been a while since he'd seen her—this familiar face in front of him.

Her hair was free of that thick braid and was flowing freely down to her waist. Her eyes held the slightest bit of amusement and anticipation. Her smile was very small yet noticeable.

He knew that she was absolutely itching to fight, too.

But then something happened when nearing their conclusion.

It was all going smoothly. He was all bloodied and so was she. She healed herself and fought again. He didn't—or rather, _couldn't_—heal himself yet he continued to fight.

When he struck her that seemed to be his finishing blow, he realized that she was looking at him with the eyes of someone who was finally free of regrets. He didn't understand why that was the case, but at this point, he couldn't really give himself time to think about that.

Blood spurted from her wound, and he expected her to heal it just as she always did.

But she didn't.

And he watched in shock as gravity pulled her down.

He stood there, his body seemingly frozen in place. It was only for a moment, but emotions started to buzz inside him, confusing him slightly.

He'd always relied on his instinct.

She started to fall, but then his hand instinctively shot out to catch her from behind. And he froze in place momentarily as he realized that he's feeling the emotion he had least expected to feel—_alarm_.

_Why_…?

_Why should you die?_

Those were the thoughts that plagued his mind as he looked at her face.

And the words that suddenly came out of his mouth were the words that he'd never expected to say in his lifetime to _anybody_ other than the little girl he'd taken in a long time ago.

"_Don't die_."

* * *

**A/N:** Finished! :3 Was it okay? Was Kenpachi OOC?


	5. ღ5: The Sort-of Confession—IchiღRuki

**Anthology: Our Feelings**

by Her Pretty Smile

* * *

**Synopsis:** #5: IchiRuki. The spirit of a young teenage girl prods him about his love life, and somewhere along the way, Ichigo finds himself talking about the one woman he has always found so different and special from the others.

**Warning:** Unbeta-ed; may contain mistakes or any of the sort.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

**Genres:** Romance/Humour/Friendship

**Authoress' Note:** I don't think I have a good sense of humour, so please forgive my lame attempts. :'(

* * *

**#5:** The Sort-of Confession

:-_IchiRuki_-:

* * *

"YOU WANT ME TO talk to you about my love life?" Ichigo repeated in disbelief.

The ghost of the pretty teenage girl smiled up at him, radiating a suspicious kind of innocence. "Yes. Please tell me about it, handsome shinigami onii-san." Her eyes looked up at him pleadingly.

He scowled. "Compliments like that don't work on me, you know. And I don't have a... 'love life'." His tone turned uncomfortable while saying the term.

"Eh?" She gave him a look of pure disbelief. "But surely you must have one! With the way you look, onii-san, you must have one!"

He rubbed the back of his head in slight annoyance. _What's with her and my looks?_ he wondered. _And how the heck can I perform konsō on her when she's so stubborn?_

She gave a pout. "Mou, onii-san! I've been deprived of love lives ever since I was born! The least you can do is tell me something about it before I go to Soul Kingdom or whatever!"

_She's stubborn, all right..._ "Soul Society," he corrected almost absently.

"Whatever. Come on, onii-san! Please? Surely you must be interested in at least _one_ girl!" she prodded.

"I'm not interested in anyone," he said patiently.

"Eh? Well..." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "What about a girl who's a really close friend of yours? Or a best friend? Someone who's really special or precious to you?"

He was about to say no when a face suddenly came to mind.

The girl noticed his hesitation and promptly squealed. "I KNEW IT! So who's the girl, onii-san? Tell me about her!"

Ichigo sighed, knowing that she wouldn't stop bothering him if he wouldn't tell her what she wanted him to tell.

"All right, fine. But let me say this: she and I aren't interested in each other like that."

She gave him a knowing look. "If you say so, onii-san," she chirped.

He frowned at her liveliness in the topic, then let out a sigh before he began talking.

Unbeknownst to him, a big smile had appeared on her face.

"Her name's Rukia. Kuchiki Rukia. She's also a shinigami like I am."

"How did you two meet?" she asked curiously.

"We met when I was a human back then. A Hollow was after me, and in the process, it attacked my family. I felt really helpless at that time. I couldn't protect them, and I could only watch my father and my sisters as they were lying on the ground, injured." A small smile graced his features. "But Rukia saved me. She saved me and my family by giving me her shinigami powers. She made me into a person who can protect the ones I want to protect."

The girl squealed again. "Aww! That's so sweet, onii-san! And you even call her by her first name!"

"That's because we trust each other," he answered calmly.

"Then does that mean she calls you by your first name, too?"

He was suddenly feeling slightly uncomfortable with the way this was going. "Yeah."

"As I thought!" she chirped. "Can you tell me what you think of her, onii-san?"

He raised an eyebrow. "To me, she's... a very special person."

"Do you want to protect her?"

"Of course I do."

"Do you want her to be by your side forever?"

He frowned. _What kind of question is that?_ "...Sure," he answered hesitantly. It was true after all. He couldn't really imagine a world without Rukia. Even in the seventeen months that she'd been gone, he had these dreams about him chasing her. He even thought about her once in a while, wondering what she was doing.

And even if he wouldn't admit it, he was actually kind of lonely when she hadn't been around.

_I actually missed her... a little._

"Awww!" the girl squealed again. "Next! Do you like her?"

"Uh... yes? She's a good friend."

She scowled at his obviously wrong thoughts. "Okay, onii-san. Let me rephrase it: Do you love Rukia-nee-san?"

His eyes widened. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Come on, onii-san! Do you or do you not love Rukia-nee-san? Just answer my question and I'll go to Spirit Society!"

His eyes narrowed and he took out Zangetsu. "All right, that's enough. I'm performing konsō on you now, kid. And it's _Soul Society_."

"_Wait_! Onii-sa—"

He tapped the hilt of Zangetsu on her forehead, and through the blue light, she could see a soft smile forming on his face.

"You're right. I guess I do love her." He grinned at her briefly. "Don't tell anyone, you hear?"

Before the girl disappeared, a mischievous, knowing smirk appeared on her face. "Thanks for telling us, onii-san."

He frowned. _Us?_

"...Ichigo."

The latter instantly froze.

"R—Rukia...?!"

He turned around and found himself face-to-face with the one he and the girl had been talking about.

_That_—_That brat...! She knew Rukia was there when I talked! Damn it_—

"Ichigo," Rukia said in a flat voice, an unreadable expression on her face.

He gulped. He was _so_ screwed. "H—Hai...?"

A moment of silence passed by.

"Why did you take so long to perform konsō on that girl?" she demanded.

He blinked. "W—What...?"

"You just chatted with her like there was no tomorrow, you idiotic fool!" She smacked him on the head. "A shinigami should perform duties as fast as possible!"

"Nani?!" _So she didn't hear?_

"Hmph. Come on, let's go. You had me wait for a full fifteen minutes, so you owe me some Chappy ice cream!" She started to march off.

"Hey! Wait! _Rukia_!" He tried to keep up with her fast pace. "There's no such thing as a Chappy ice cream, stupid!"

"Hey, I saw one in an ice cream shop!"

He gaped at her in disbelief. "_Seriously_...?"

They walked in comfortable silence.

She turned her head towards him who was walking behind her, a small smile gracing her features. "Ichigo..."

He looked at her. "Yeah? What is it?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For buying me Chappy ice cream."

He twitched. "I haven't even bought it yet. And I have no intention to."

She gave a laugh that sounded pleasantly like bells. "I love you too, fool," she said warmly before turning her head back and running towards her gigai.

He stood dumbfounded in his spot. _What... What the..._ His face turned as red as a tomato and he could feel steam coming out of his ears. _She heard!_

"O—Oi... Rukia! _Oi_! W—Wait for me!" He ran after her.

And all the while, he could still hear her laugh ringing in his ears.

* * *

-;-

* * *

"SO WHEN I SAW a girl behind him, I just knew, you know! It's a woman's intuition!" the girl said proudly to a guy who she'd 'befriended'—or rather, _forced_ to talk to her. "I made the shinigami onii-san blurt out his true feelings while silently telling the girl to stay. And it worked! He told me he loved her! It was so sweet!"

The boy just looked at her dully. _When am I finally gonna be free...?_

* * *

**A/N:** In Japan, those who are close friends call each other by their first names. :")

I just wrote this all in an HOUR! Wow. XD


	6. ღ6: Flaw—Onesided IchiღHime

**Anthology: Our Feelings**

by Her Pretty Smile

* * *

**Synopsis:** #6: Onesided IchiHime, Mentions of IchiRuki. She loves him, she's sure of that. She loves him for him, and she will do everything—_anything_—for him. But what she does painfully know is that she doesn't really understand him, and that's the flaw in her feelings.

**Warning:** Unbeta-ed; may contain mistakes or any of the sort.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

**Authoress' Note:** Onesided IchiHime, mentions of IchiRuki. This drabble is long and full of Orihime's feelings towards Ichigo along the way with a half-hearted conclusion at the end. IchiRuki fans can calm down because (1) this is completely onesided, and (2) there are slightly subtle mentions of IchiRuki.

Remember, this anthology consists mostly of IchiRuki and HitsuHina, so it should be very obvious that _I do not ship IchiHime._

I only wrote this because I've been wanting to write this for a long time now in order to point out the huge difference between IchiRuki and IchiHime. I hope I can achieve that perfectly, though...

**Genres:** Romance (onesided)/Angst/Hurt/Comfort

* * *

**#6:** Flaw

:-_IchiHime_-:

[centric]

* * *

INOUE ORIHIME KNOWS SHE'S in love.

It can't be some sort of simple crush, right? Because she has always liked him despite their classmates commenting about his scary face and his trademark scowl.

At first, though, she was only interested in his unusual yet somehow compelling personality, but as time passed by, her feelings developed into a crush and evolved to the point of 'like'.

She wasn't in love with him at the beginning, of course. But then when their adventures together with the others began, her feelings grew stronger, and before she knew it, she had fallen in love with him.

She knows full well that it is only a recent, underdeveloped young love. But all that matters is that she loves him, right?

Sadly, he doesn't feel the same way.

He never looks at her the way she always looks at him. He never shows her such a soft, tender expression he'd once showed to a certain someone.

And most of all, he's never really himself whenever they're together.

With her, he's a little polite and subtly careful with his words. He treats her gently and looks at her the way one looks at a... mere _friend_.

He never bickers with her. Nor does he argue with her. He never tries to provoke her or get angry with her. He never says what's on his mind and he never really becomes... _alive_ in their conversations.

It's unlike what he is when he's with Rukia.

Rukia... completes him. She's a very special person to him.

She can cheer him up so easily whenever he feels down, she can bring back his hopes, and she doesn't need him to protect her because they protect _each other._

Orihime is aware of all that, but her hope doesn't diminish.

But then comes the inevitable horror: either her friends die, or she will go to Las Noches.

She picks the latter, of course, even if she is not really given any choice.

She gets the chance to say goodbye to someone. She thinks about Tatsuki, but then she eventually chooses _him_.

So she goes into his room. She sees him sleeping peacefully with bandages all over his body.

She sees his face and his parted mouth.

Something stirs inside of her and she goes closer to him. Then, with a sudden desire, she clutches his hand and moves her face towards his, inching closer to his lips.

_Closer..._

_Closer..._

Then she pulls away.

She can't do it after all.

* * *

-;-

* * *

WHEN SHE HEARS THAT he has come to save her, joy bursts in her chest, and she can't seem to suppress her smile.

That's when she knows that he will save her.

But then they start to fall apart.

_Chad... Rukia..._

And then... _him._

Nothing agonizes her more than to heal him while being aware of his empty, lifeless eyes.

She knows she can save him, but she is only setting him up for the possibility of death again.

She's relieved when he gets up healed, but then he fights Grimmjow, and then she sees those frightening Hollow eyes.

She doesn't want to admit it, but she has become afraid of him. Those eyes... They remind her so much of her older brother.

They remind her of death and insanity.

So when he saves her from a blow and looks at her, she flinches.

She can't help it; those eyes scare her so much that she just wants to shrink away from his gaze.

He's not himself. He's not Kurosaki Ichigo.

He's a _Hollow_.

Just like her brother had been.

She sees his momentary pained expression just before he goes back into the fight and she feels the slightest bit of guilt.

But he's a Hollow, right? Hollows don't feel anguish. They don't feel sad.

They don't feel anything... right?

Nel's voice suddenly snaps her out of her reverie, and her encouraging words urge her to do the same.

The guilt comes back to her again, and, with difficulty, she forces herself to believe that he is still there, that a small part of him is still intact.

So she shouts his name with tears in her eyes. She tells him that he doesn't have to win.

Because if he is still there, she doesn't want him to get hurt just for her.

She doesn't want him to die.

Because if he does, she won't get to see _Kurosaki Ichigo_ who should still be there, again.

When the fight's over, his mask disappears when he goes over to her, and she can't help but feel pleasantly relieved.

_He's back_, she thinks, glad.

And when he hauls her up, she blushes, flustered.

The butterflies in her stomach can't seem to stop their fluttering.

But then her happiness doesn't last long.

She becomes unable to help him again when she is held in place by the Espada No. 5's companion.

She is forced to watch helplessly as he gets the life beaten out of him.

She is forced to watch him get hurt again.

_No..._

_Stop..._

_Please..._

Then, after what seems like an eternity of agony, Zaraki Kenpachi saves him.

She feels the relief wash over her once again.

But when she comes up to him, he tells her to heal Nel first, and a twinge of jealousy plants itself in her chest before it disappears as quickly as it came, making an illusion that it hasn't been there in the first place.

She hesitates. Should she really heal the little girl first? Yes, she protected him, and she's grateful for that, but...

After a moment, she eventually agrees.

But not before giving him a worried glance.

* * *

-;-

* * *

AFTER THE FIGHT, SHE somehow gets herself kidnapped again, and now she's alone with Ulquiorra in the throne room.

He walks towards her, and she looks at him.

When he's at a respectable distance from her, he asks her if she's scared. He tells her, in a roundabout way, why she should be, but then she startles him slightly when she replies with a 'no'.

Because she knows that her friends came to save her, and because of that, she believes that her heart is already with all of them.

She just fails to mention that _most_ of her heart is with a certain person.

When Ichigo arrives though, she's filled with inexplicable happiness and joy, but then they turn into fear.

What if he dies?

What if he dies and leaves her?

What will she do then?

She knows she should help him, but something inside her prevents her from doing so.

She knows that Ulquiorra won't hurt her even if she intervenes, but…

_No matter what I do, he'll die anyway…_

She instantly mentally slaps herself. Why is she thinking such things?

She should help him. No, she _has_ to help him.

Because she told him that he shouldn't get hurt.

So she casts a shield just before Ulquiorra's sword can slash him.

But then the latter sends her into confusion once again about her feelings by asking her why she helped just now.

_And why she didn't do it earlier._

Before she can deny, though, Ichigo interrupts, and she's grateful for that.

She isn't ready for this yet.

* * *

-;-

* * *

DESPAIR.

Fear.

Those are the emotions she's feeling right now when she sees his lifeless body.

_No… Kurosaki-kun…_

_Don't leave me!_

_NO!_

She wants him alive. She wants him to save her. She wants him to be here with here right now.

Because she's scared.

Feeling torn, she begs him.

She begs him to save her.

And to her relief, he does.

But he isn't himself anymore.

_No…_

_I did this…_

_Why…?_

_Didn't I tell myself… not to depend on Kurosaki-kun anymore…?_

* * *

-;-

* * *

THE SCENE IS SO sad and heartbreaking to watch, but she can't look away.

Because this might just be the last time Ichigo and Rukia will see each other again.

She is ashamed of herself for feeling a little joyful at this, and she quickly erases that emotion.

Rukia is her friend.

So she shouldn't be feeling this way.

She bites her lower lip briefly. The two of them can't even bring themselves to look into each other's eyes.

They just pretend that everything is all casual, but deep inside, she knows that they know it isn't.

Then, after a moment, she knows that Rukia is now fading from Ichigo's sight. She can see it from the widening of his eyes.

And then his features soften considerably, causing her breath to catch in her throat.

He's never showed that kind of expression before.

Except for that one time when she was healing Rukia and he was staring at her with that same look on his face.

She swallows, feeling heavy in her heart as Rukia, whose head was lowered, looks up at him with the saddest expression she has ever seen her have.

She even, in the slightest bit, looks like she's about to cry.

Orihime wants to cry, too, but… it's not because her friend is going to leave them.

It's because she feels like she has already lost Ichigo.

* * *

-;-

* * *

IN THE SEVENTEEN MONTHS of him not having his powers... In that time when he is now a normal human...

She never makes a move.

She doesn't make a great effort to stay close to him. She doesn't try her best to get to know him better.

She doesn't plan to make him hers, and she also doesn't plan on confessing.

All she can do, she knows, is fantasize.

Because in truth, she's a coward. She's afraid of the rejection. She's afraid of him breaking her heart.

So she doesn't do anything and is only content to be a part of his life.

Then the climax of her impending realization comes.

Her head is filled with all these memories of her precious person. He has taken care of her, he has always been there for her, he has always been with them in their adventures, and he has always been so kind to her.

And now Ichigo treats him like an enemy.

She can't understand why. Tsukishima has always been their friend, so why?

_Why, Kurosaki-kun?_

So she fights against him, hoping that he'll come to his senses.

But then she sees familiar people—Toushirou, Ikkaku, and others—and is glad that they are here, thinking that they'll be able to stop Ichigo.

And she becomes confused when they don't.

But why? Tsukishima is a friend.

Then someone knocks her unconscious, and before the darkness claims her, she thinks…

_They're siding with Kurosaki-kun…_

_They trust him…_

_I'm in love with him, but…_

_Why didn't I… trust him, too…?_

* * *

**A/N:** Uh huh. This is an IchiHime angst oneshot. I don't really like IchiHime, and I truly don't think that Orihime loves Ichigo, because if she really does love him, she should trust him no matter what. She shouldn't also depend on him! Damn, she really blew it off in the Hueco Mundo Arc. I was really disappointed. (I'm sorry to those IchiHime fans… T.T) I think she just deserves someone else, because if she keeps on 'loving' Ichigo, she'll only get hurt in the end.

Sigh. Can you imagine it? Even _Byakuya_ trusts Ichigo. Even when Tsukishima stabbed him with his Fullbring, even if he inserted himself into Byakuya's past… Byakuya still considers him an enemy _just because Tsukishima is Ichigo's enemy._

Another long sigh. As for Chad, well… he isn't really _in love_ with Ichigo, is he? He's just his friend. They aren't even best friends yet.

And Keigo, Mizuiro, and Tatsuki aren't even close to him. Karin and Yuzu, on the other hand, are still childish and immature because of their age, so they naturally don't understand.

Okay, I think I've ranted enough. *dodges rotten tomatoes thrown by enraged IchiHime fans* I'M SORRY! But… wait… what are you guys doing here? This is supposed to be a mostly IchiRuki and HitsuHina anthology, right…? Oh, so you like IchiRuki and IchiHime the same? …Oh, I'm screwed.

Whatever. I'll just hide. -.-

Anyway, the next oneshot will be an IchiRuki, and the next one after that will be a HitsuHina. :)


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